PepsiCo

• The EPA recently announced that PepsiCo has made the largest purchase of green energy in history, enough to power 100 percent of its energy needs.

• Pepsi is among the four major bottled water companies compounding the problem of water privatization and scarcity.

• Pepsi has been accused of pumping aquifers dry in areas where people are poor and water is difficult to find in order to supply their water and soda bottling operations. Pepsi has also been accused of water pollution.

• Pepsi has been sued by the state of California and the ACLU over the issue of toxic contents in their snack foods.

• Take steps to eliminate your own bottled water purchases, and find green beverage options with Go Green.

-- Profile Updated 03/28/2011

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo produces soft drinks, juices, sports drinks, bottled water, and snack foods. Headquartered in Purchase, New York, in 2005 the company had 157,000 employees and reported sales of more than $32.56 billion.

PepsiCo maintains licenses with Ocean Spray, Dole Juices and Ethos Water. They also currently hold a partnership with Starbucks.

Campaigns

Tell Pepsi to pull back the curtain on Aquafina

If Pepsi is making the claim that Aquafina is "pure" and "perfect" then they must also provide facts as to what is in their water…

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If Pepsi is making the claim that Aquafina is "pure" and "perfect" then they must also provide facts as to what is in their water. Currently bottled water is less regulated than tap water, so we are just asking for Pepsi to provide us with information as to what is in Aquafina.

Please click on the link below to send a letter to Indra Nooyi CEO of Pepsico, asking her to pull back the curtain on Aquafina.

Coke, Nestlé, and Pepsi are misleading consumers to believe that bottled water is healthier than tap water--but bottled water is actually less regulated than public water sources…

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Coke, Nestlé, and Pepsi are misleading consumers to believe that bottled water is healthier than tap water--but bottled water is actually less regulated than public water sources. Corporate Accountability International urges the public to tell Coke, Nestlé, and Pepsi to end the deceitful promotion of their bottled water brands and to stop interfering in policies that protect public water. Take action now by clicking on the URL below.

The Kerala High Court overruled the southern Indian state's ban on Coca-Cola and Pepsi products on the basis that such a decision …

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The Kerala High Court overruled the southern Indian state's ban on Coca-Cola and Pepsi products on the basis that such a decision did not fit “within the legal powers that rest with the government.” The southern state of Kerala banned the sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi products after the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found high levels of pesticides and other hazardous chemicals in their products. Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan expressed great disappointment on this decision: "We hope the judges will hear our detailed arguments and correct their judgment, saving the health and lives of people.”

The state government of Kerala has banned the production and sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the southern Indian state. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan announced this decision in response to scientific studies, primarily by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), revealing hazardous chemicals, such as lindane, chlorpyrifos, and heptachlor, in the companies’ products. The decision also comes in the wake of a four-year campaign by the community of Plachimada to permanently close the soft drink giants’ operations in the region. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are now being banned in government and educational institutions by several states in India, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi. Regulations to govern consumer safety for soft drinks are underway in India.

The Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) comprehensive study, covering 25 different manufacturing plants over 12 Indian stat…

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The Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) comprehensive study, covering 25 different manufacturing plants over 12 Indian states, found dangerous levels of pesticides in all samples of the Pepsi and Coca-Cola products tested. On average, Pepsi-cola drinks contained 30 times higher pesticide residues than the standards outlined by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). According to CSE this poses serious health effects; even small doses of pesticides such as lindane, chlorpyrifos, and heptachlor, are known to cause cancer, neurological problems, and other health disorders.

In August 2005, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer filed suit against nine producers of potato chips and french fries concer…

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In August 2005, California Attorney General Bill Lockyer filed suit against nine producers of potato chips and french fries concerning toxic contents in their popular foods. Lockyer is seeking a court order requiring the companies to warn consumers that some of their food products are made with acrylamide, a chemical identified by the state as a human carcinogen. Plaintiffs in the case include McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Frito Lay, H.J. Heinz, Proctor & Gamble and Wendy's.

The Indian parliament banned Coke and Pepsi products from being sold in its cafeteria.…

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The Indian parliament banned Coke and Pepsi products from being sold in its cafeteria. According to the non-proft group CorpWatch, "The ban came as the result of tests, including those by the Indian government, which found high concentrations of pesticides and insecticides, including lindane, DDT, malathion and chlorpyrifos, in the colas, making them unfit for consumption. Some samples tested showed the presence of these toxins to be more than 30 times the standard allowed by the European Union."

In Greenpeace Canada’s “How to Avoid Genetically Engineered Food,” PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay appeared on the “Red List.” Although Frito-…

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In Greenpeace Canada’s “How to Avoid Genetically Engineered Food,” PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay appeared on the “Red List.” Although Frito-Lay instructed its corn and potato suppliers not to grow GE crops, the company acknowledges that canola, other oils and ingredients in its products may be from GE sources.

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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is fighting to keep Pepsi subsidiary Frito-Lay Inc. from permanently sealing records that show some of its snack foods were contaminated with hydrocarbons and other toxic solvents. The records came to light in a lawsuit alleging a Massachusetts woman was damaged neurologically by tainted tortilla chips. In that suit the woman alleged she sustained permanent neurological damage in 1991 after eating several Salsa Rio Doritos tortilla chips that had a strong chemical taste and odor. An independent toxicology firm, hired by the woman, tested the chips and confirmed the presence of perchloroethylene, a cleaning solvent. Frito-Lay disputed the lab's findings, although the company also acknowledged it had not tested the chips for solvents itself. In court records the company also said there is no evidence that the plaintiff's health problems stemmed from its chips.

During the suit Frito-Lay revealed documents related to hundreds of consumer complaints. In many of the cases, the company's own lab tests confirmed the presence of chemical contaminants in products returned by consumers who suspected problems. In June 2001 Frito-Lay moved to seal the records after the plaintiff dropped her suit, citing unfavorable pretrial rulings and her inability to continue paying for the case. She had earlier turned down a settlement offer from Frito-Lay because it would have required a gag order, and she wanted the public to know about the alleged contamination problems.

PepsiCo announced on March 15, 2011, its development of the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant-based and fu…

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PepsiCo announced on March 15, 2011, its development of the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant-based and fully renewable resources. The new “green” bottle is 100 percent recyclable and mimics the look, feel and protective qualities of petroleum-based PET bottles. The bottle is made from bio-based raw materials such as switch grass, pine bark and corn husks, but the company is seeking to broaden this range to further include the agricultural byproducts of its food business, including orange peels, potato peels, oat hulls and more. PepsiCo will pilot the production of the new bottle in 2012 and consequently launch full-scale commercialization, while competitor Coca Cola has only developed and released its partly plant-based bottles. As one of the world’s largest food and beverage businesses, PepsiCo’s new bottle is expected to not only significantly reduce the corporation’s carbon footprint, but also greatly impact and help the global environment as well. This environmental initiative has only been one of PepsiCo’s many recently; other examples include SunChips developing the world’s first fully compostable bag, Aquafina’s “Eco-Fina” bottle that is the lightest bottle of its size, and Naked Juice transitioning to a 100 percent post-consumer recycled plastic bottle.

In August 2007, Pepsi admitted that it bottles tap water under its Aquafina label.…

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In August 2007, Pepsi admitted that it bottles tap water under its Aquafina label. The beverage giant has agreed to change the labels on its bottled water brand to indicate that the water comes from a public source. Bottled water is extremely harmful to the environment, with more than 60 million bottles of water thrown away each day and 20 million barrels of oil used each year to make the plastic bottles containing the water.

Pepsi is not the only major beverage company that bottles tap water; Coke's Dasani brand and Nestle's Pure Life also come from public water sources. Studies have shown that tap water is just as safe if not safer than bottled water as public water goes through rigorous testing and regulations and bottled water does not.

The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, a Chinese non-governmental organization, blacklisted PepsiCo as one of 33 multi…

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The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, a Chinese non-governmental organization, blacklisted PepsiCo as one of 33 multinational corporations responsible for causing water pollution. Among other water-polluting activities, Pepsi-Cola International (Changchun) Co Ltd was criticized for releasing wastewater that was not properly treated in 2005.

A 2006 report by the Container Recycling Institute and As You Sow grades America’s top beverage companies on their efforts to use …

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A 2006 report by the Container Recycling Institute and As You Sow grades America’s top beverage companies on their efforts to use recycled content, increase recovery and recycling, and reduce the amount of material used to bottle their beverages. PepsiCo received an overall grade of C with a 2.3 GPA (on a 4.0 scale). Pepsi received a B for recycled content, C+ for recovery & recycling, and a D+ in source reduction. Pepsi did achieved its goal of using 10% recycled plastic in its soda and water containers by the end of 2005, and expressed interest in maintaining this commitment level through 2006. However, in December 1990, Pepsi and Coca-Cola both committed to using plastic beverage bottles with 25% recycled plastic, which never materialized.

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A 2006 Ceres report titled "Corporate Governance and Climate Change: Making the Connection," commissioned by Investor Responsibility Resource Center, details a comprehensive measurement of how 100 leading global companies are responding to global warming. Through an evaluation of board oversight, management performance, public disclosure, emissions accounting, and strategic performance, to address climate change, the companies were evaluated on a 0 to 100 scale. PepsiCo scored a total of 9 points.

A coalition of environmental groups organized under the "Quit India" banner conducted a "human chain" event as well as a series of…

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A coalition of environmental groups organized under the "Quit India" banner conducted a "human chain" event as well as a series of public awareness campaigns to force Pepsi Cola and Coca-Cola to leave India. The groups, mainly environmental NGOs, claimed that the companies are violating local law by using vast quantities of water which are being taken away from under-resourced Indians and that the two companies’ products are a health hazard to children and youth in the country.

-- BBC News, 01/20/2005

Source URL: none available

Pepsi, Coke, Danone and Nestle are the major targets of a 2005 Polaris Institute report exposing the darker side of the water indu…

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Pepsi, Coke, Danone and Nestle are the major targets of a 2005 Polaris Institute report exposing the darker side of the water industry. "Inside the Bottle: An Exposé of the Bottled Water Industry" highlights the abuses of these corporations, ranging from fraudulent advertising and ruthless water privatization to the distribution of unsafe water. These four companies dominate the world’s bottled water market.

In May 2003, a rural community in Kerala, India revoked the water-use permit of a Pepsi plant because of fears that the exploitati…

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In May 2003, a rural community in Kerala, India revoked the water-use permit of a Pepsi plant because of fears that the exploitation of groundwater will lead to serious ecological damage and drought. A member of parliament from a local district warned that disruption of water supplies could affect not just drinking water but also irrigation in an area known for its rice paddies. Pepsi denies the charges and insists that groundwater levels have not been affected by it facility. Locals picketed in front of the Coca-Cola factory, and veteran environmental campaigners in India endorsed the locals' activities.

-- New York Times, 05/21/2003

Source URL: none available

Animal Testing

Diet Pepsi has launched a new “skinny” can for February 2011’s Fashion Week but critics claim that Pepsi’s approach is only reinfo…

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Diet Pepsi has launched a new “skinny” can for February 2011’s Fashion Week but critics claim that Pepsi’s approach is only reinforcing dangerous stereotypes about women and body image. The new can will be available to consumers nationwide in March after a series of promotional events that will include collaboration with popular designers such as Charlotte Ronson and Betsey Johnson. However, the National Eating Disorders Association announced that it finds the can offensive, thoughtless and irresponsible.

In Mexico, the National Council to Prevent Discrimination criticized Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Shell for unfair hiring practices.…

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In Mexico, the National Council to Prevent Discrimination criticized Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Shell for unfair hiring practices. Pepsi Bottling Group placed ads for a human resources assistant in Mexico, specifically asking for unmarried male applicants, between the ages of 21 and 25. According to Pepsi Bottling spokeswoman Kelly McAndrew, “What the ads reflected were local customs.”

In 2005, Chairman and CEO Steven Reinemund made $17.414 million in total compensation including stock option grants from Pepsi.…

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In 2005, Chairman and CEO Steven Reinemund made $17.414 million in total compensation including stock option grants from Pepsi. From previous years' stock option grants, the executive cashed out $7.7 million in stock option exercises. Reinemund has another $107.144 million in unexercised stock options from previous years.

According to the Social Investment Research Analyst Network (SIRAN), ten years after the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission recommen…

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According to the Social Investment Research Analyst Network (SIRAN), ten years after the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission recommended disclosure of diversity data as a way to remove barriers and promote women and minority advancement, most US companies still fail to fully disclose EEO data to the public. PepsiCo is listed as one of the companies that does not provide full public disclosure. The company provides full disclosure only upon request.

PepsiCo has been criticized for its handling of a sexual harassment case at its FritoLay plant near Warsaw, Poland.…

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PepsiCo has been criticized for its handling of a sexual harassment case at its FritoLay plant near Warsaw, Poland. Eight of the plant's female workers claimed that they were sexually harassed by their supervisor and that Pepsi not only failed to enforce sexual discrimination policies, but also provided defense for the accused supervisor. The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations stated that the plaintiffs in the case were forced to quit or were fired over the case and have been left in a state of financial and psychological stress.

-- IUF, 07/13/2005

Source URL: none available

In March 2003, Custom Vending, a Maryland-based vending machine company, filed an unfair trading practices lawsuit in the U.S.…

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In March 2003, Custom Vending, a Maryland-based vending machine company, filed an unfair trading practices lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Maryland by Custom Vending Co. Inc., alleging that Pepsi Bottling Company granted the Maryland company's competitor, Aramark Corp. of Philadelphia, favored product policies and marketing bonuses. Former New Jersey Governor, Thomas Kean, is director of both Pepsi Bottling Co and Aramark Corp. The suit also alleges that due to Pepsi’s preferential treatment of Aramark, Custom Vending has lost five vending accounts worth $450,000 since March 2000, 11 bids on new contracts that went to Aramark and $230,000 in new Pepsi machine bonuses it would have been entitled to under fair trading laws. Using the grounds of the 1914 Robinson-Patman Act , a federal law that protects small vendors, Custom Vending sought $1 million in restitutions.

-- Daily Record (Baltimore, MD), 03/13/2003

Source URL: none available

Pepsi donated over $127,000 to defeat Oregon’s Measure 27, requiring GMO food to be labeled in that state.…

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Pepsi donated over $127,000 to defeat Oregon’s Measure 27, requiring GMO food to be labeled in that state.

-- Oregon Secretary of State, 10/01/2002

Source URL: none available

Labor

After Pepsi purchased the Canadian company, Kitchner Beverages Ltd (Ontario) in November 2002, Pepsi announced plans to close the …

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After Pepsi purchased the Canadian company, Kitchner Beverages Ltd (Ontario) in November 2002, Pepsi announced plans to close the bottling facility and made it unclear whether Kitchner workers would be offered jobs at a Pepsi Bottling plant opening nearby. When Pepsi refused to continue negotiations with the local workers’ union over working hours, benefits and seniority issues for those Kitchner workers offered jobs at the newly opened plant, former Kitchner employees, part of the Teamsters 938 Local Union, began striking in protest. A spokesman for the local union remarked that the New York-based Pepsi bottling group was being unfair to Canadian workers. "They think we're second class citizens," he said.